Modelled in a dynamic standing posture wearing floor-length robes, hands clasped in front of her breast; remains of polychrome pigmentation. 27.7 kg, 98 cm high

Acquired 1960s-1990s.
Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

Plain D-section band with engraved foliage to the shoulders and square-cut quartz gemstone set into a cup bezel with heater shields to two sides; remains of black enamel. 2.07 grams, 20.99 mm overall, 15.57 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I 1/2, USA 4 1/2, Europe 8.07, Japan 7)

From a Leicestershire, UK, jewellery collection since circa 1983.

Cf. Guilhou, E., Catalogue of a collection of Ancient Rings, Paris, 1912, plate XXII, no.1420, for similar set with a rectangular ruby; and cf. Scarisbrick, D., Rings. Jewelry of Power, Love and Loyalty, London, 2007, p.312, 435, 438, for a similar ring but with hexagonal bezel and diamond, dated circa 1610 A.D.

Substantial gold hoop with lightly incised inscription to the inner face in an italic hand: 'Keepe faith till death'. 4.42 grams, 19.65 mm overall, 16.49 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L, USA 5 3/4, Europe 11.24, Japan 10)

Found whilst searching with a metal detector near Darley with Menwith, North Yorkshire, UK, on Monday 7th March 2022 by Wesley Biddles.

Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.YORYM-BC1E78.
Accompanied by a copy of the report for H M Coroner on a find of potential treasure with Treasure reference no.d2022 T419.
Accompanied by a copy of a letter from the British Museum on behalf of the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, informing that the Crown's interest in this find has been disclaimed.

Broadly rectangular in cross-section and constructed from two sheets of gold; the external hoop carrying an etched decorative design comprised of a row of eight-armed stars in relief with a prominent horizontal line connecting the stars; the internal hoop with Latin inscription in block capitals reading '+FORTES FORTVNA IVVAT' translating to 'fortune favours the brave/strong'; straightened. 1.45 grams, 18.86 mm overall, 16.70 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 5 3/4, Europe 11.24, Japan 10)

Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Wingham, near Dover, Kent, UK, on Sunday 8th August 2021.

Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report for Oxfordshire under reference no.KENT-8F86BC.
Accompanied by a copy of the report on find of potential Treasure for H M Coroner with reference no.2021T985.
Accompanied by a copy of the letter from HM Senior Coroner for Oxfordshire disclaiming the Crown's interest in the find.

See the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) SWYOR-FA9028 and DUR-23C436, for posy rings of similar form and decoration; see also The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession no.L.2015.72.27, for a posy ring of similar construction.

The inscription is a Latin proverb used in the play Phormio by Terence in 151 B.C. It is possible that the inscription was intended as a devotion of loyalty and symbol of pride, instead of being given as a symbol of fidelity.

Comprising trefoil domes adorned with filigree flowers and roundels, central bulb surrounded by 'petals', hook to reverse. 9.9 grams, 30 mm

From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.

Cast and chased badge of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, by Thomas Simon (or Thomas Rawlins?), bifacial with obverse portrait bust of the Earl of Essex turned slightly to left, and to the reverse an oval garnished shield of Essex, surmounted by coronet; Platt II, type G. 5.39 grams, 30.20 mm

From a late 19th-early 20th century collection based on the old handwritten coin tickets.
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s.
From an East Anglian private collection.

Accompanied by two old faded handwritten coin tickets.

See Medallic Illustration, 299/119; Platt, p.202.

Essex became Commander-in-Chief of the Parliamentary forces in the Civil War before being displaced in 1645. Badges of several types and varieties bearing his image were presented to various ranks in the army. The grandson of Francis Walsingham, the Principal Secretary and 'spymaster' of Elizabeth I, as well as the son of Elizabeth's favourite, Robert Devereux figured prominently in the First English Civil War. At its outset, he became the first Captain-General or Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, known as the 'Roundheads.' However, unable and unwilling to defeat the Royalist forces during the Lostwithiel Campaign in 1644, Devereux became overshadowed by the ascending Oliver Cromwell and, less than six months after resigning from his commission, died without an heir in 1646.

Two halves of a flat lead-alloy seal, one with advancing cockerel and legend to the rim 'WALTER NICKOLES MAKING', the other with sun-in-splendour motif and legend 'COXALL 100 BAYES 1633'. 13.9 grams total, 62-71 mm

Found on the Thames foreshore, London, UK, circa mid 1980s.
Property of an Essex collector.

In a glazed wooden case with various artefacts including musket balls, ceramic fragments, and three complete clay pipes by Robert Younge of Soutwell, Nottingham; at the bottom a raised plaque inscribed: 'CIVIL WAR RELICS / from the siege of NEWARK / 1645 - 1646 / found at the site of the camp / of troops of the Earl of Lincoln / nr. Clay Lane Newark'. 5.7 kg, 60 cm

From a 19th century collection based on the inscribed plaque and frame.
From an old collection of antiquities collected by the Gilstrap family, wine merchants in Newark, Nottinghamshire, UK.

The Third Siege of Newark was the longest and lasted 26th November 1645 - 8th May 1646. King Charles I's army had been destroyed at the Battle of Naseby and many of his important cities and fortresses had been lost. Newark was one of the last Royalist towns capable of resisting a Roundhead army. Newark was besieged by 17,000 soldiers made up of Roundheads from the surrounding East Midlands and London, plus the Scottish Presbyterians called Covenanters. The siege lasted six months and the people of Newark suffered hunger, an extremely cold winter and and outbreaks of disease. On the 6th May 1646, King Charles I surrendered to the Scots in the nearby town of Southwell. Two days later Newark surrendered.

From the right side of Ursus spelaeus lower jaw, displaying a canine and four other teeth. 424 grams, 24.5 cm

From the private collection of a London gentleman.

The cave bear was a prehistoric species of bear that lived in Europe and Asia, and became extinct about 24,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum.

From the left side lower jaw of Ursus spelaeus displaying a canine and two other teeth. 314 grams, 25 cm

From the private collection of a London gentleman.

The cave bear was a prehistoric species of bear that lived in Europe and Asia, and became extinct about 24,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum.

Of large size, displaying good enamel and serrations. 34.5 grams, 67 mm

From the Tegana formation of the Sahara Desert, Morocco.
From a Lincolnshire, UK, collection.

The Carcharodontosaurus saharicus was one of the largest predators (larger than its distant North American T-Rex cousin) of all time and is also related to Allosaurus and the South American Giganotosaurus.

Complete Keichousaurus hui skeleton on a rectangular matrix. 2.4 kg, 31.2 cm

From Xingyi, Guizhou, China.
Acquired 1950s-1960s.
From an old Bristol, UK, palaeontological collection.

Keichousaurus was a late Triassic marine reptile, and a member of the Pleurosaur family, and went extinct 250 million years ago during the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event. They were specialised fish eaters, and were highly unusual amongst marine reptiles in that they gave birth to live young rather than laying eggs.